The dynamic relationship of American Jews to Israel is one of our most robust areas of research. Included in the research area are our studies of Taglit-Birthright Israel. In addition, two sets of publications concern the state of Israel studies in the United States and the efforts to develop the field of Israel studies by bringing Israeli academics to the United States to teach about Israel and to support American graduate students pursuing Israel-related research topics. Additional scholarly publications build on these topics by examining Americans' attachment to Israel (and the question of generational distancing), how American Jews think about political issues pertaining to Israel, and how their views affect their feelings of connection to the Jewish state.
The Israel Literacy Measurement Project: 2015 Report
The Israel Literacy Measurement Project is an attempt to create a valid and reliable measure of knowledge of Israel. Drawing on definitions of literacy in other social science disciplines and in consultation with subject experts, the research team developed a test bank that can be used with college-aged young adults to assess the extent and content of their Israel-related knowledge.
Israel Studies Directory: 2013-14 Report Update
To help inform educational opportunities about Israel, CMJS continues to track the development of Israel studies at 316 colleges and universities in the United States. Among other findings, the report documents a13% increase in Israel-focused courses and a 22% increase in Israel-related courses between the years 2008-09 and 2013-14.
In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in summer 2014, US and Canadian college campuses were the settings for many anti-Israel activities, including the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. This study attempts to understand the extent of hostility toward Israel and antisemitism on North American campuses and assess the relationship between these trends and Jewish students’ support for and connection to Israel.